The School of Business Management, Accounting and Finance, Prashanthi Nilayam

[Guest guest]

THE SCHOOL OF BUSINESS MANAGEMENT, ACCOUNTING AND FINANCEPrashanthi Nilayam

20th year of Management By the Avathar

 

 

The emblem of SSSIHL

Uniqueness of the MBA programmeThe Director of Human Resources of a reputed IT

Multi National Company along with the senior management had gathered to

felicitate an employee and the Director said,

“I don’t know why but the students from the Sri Sathya Sai Institute are so

unique and totally different. In my entire corporate life I have come across

many professionals, but never witnessed the display of a sterling character

like these boys have. Parents like me have a vision for our children and it’s a

comfortable life, success, money. It is a conglomeration of consumer durables,

ready-to-eat foods, state-of-the art information technology and citizenship of

a developed country. Success, to start with, is academics: ranks, stars,

medals, and the work, soon followed by career options. But after seeing the

students of this Institute it has made me realize that I would be a proud

mother if my son possesses a character just like him.”

What a transformed outlook of success! Of life itself! And the agent of that

transformation was one light (of the many) from Baba’s Institute. The power of

character was in ample display at a time when having a good character is

considered old-fashioned by modern youngsters. It was the training of the

Supreme Master, the most selfless Mentor and Mother who had instilled timeless

values into the heart and mind of that student. Ask any Human Resource Head

today and he will tell you, he is looking for people with integrity, honesty

and sincerity and not merely technical and analytical skills for, to become a

project leader one has to shed his ego and learn to love unconditionally. Swami

two decades ago itself knew the kind of personalities the world would need in

the twenty-first century; and so, in 1981, set up a deemed University - the Sri

Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning (hereafter referred to as the

Institute), where character building is the

central tenet of the educational system.

 

 

Swami in Brindavan

 

Genesis Of The Management programmeIn 1985, when Swami first expressed his

decision to start a management programme to the then Vice Chancellor, Sri S N

Saraf, it was the grand unfolding of yet another significant facet of His

divine mission. Immediately the process to get the requisite governmental

permission was set in motion and the Faculty of Business Management (as it was

known at the time of its inception) made its modest beginning in the Institute.

For the commerce students graduating that year, it was a dream, a timely divine

boon. As the Institute administration commenced informal consultations with a

few faculty members of the then Department of Commerce concerning the course

structure, Swami sent Prof. Nanjundaiah, the Controller of Examinations who is

a distinguished professor of commerce, to the Administrative Staff College of

India, in Hyderabad . He was to meet Prof. Dharani Sinha, the principal and an

academic luminary and a man of values and experience, and take his guidance to

frame the curriculum for the MBA programme in consultation with the expert

faculty in the Administrative Staff College . Prof. Dharani Sinha proposed a

draft curriculum. In the meantime, Swami left to Brindavan. And in the words of

Prof. Nanjundaiah,

“When Swami left to Brindavan, He left word with Mr. Chiranjeevi Rao (the Ashram

caretaker at that time) that Nanjundaiah is expected to come from Hyderabad by

bus. Stand in the bus stand and put him in the next bus to Brindavan. That was

Swami’s eagerness and concern for the programme .”

And as directed, Prof. Nanjundaiah right away went to Brindavan and Swami spent

a lot of time asking him questions about his meeting with Prof. Dharani Sinha

and the outcome thereof.

And eventually, a draft programme structure was framed which formed the basis

for discussion with an expert committee. The committee consisted of

distinguished personalities from industry and commerce including Prof. Dharani

Sinha. However it did not take concrete shape even till the time the students

went home for the summer vacation. And nobody knew if the course would go ahead

for the next academic year 1986-87.

However the ways of God are mysterious. Swami resolved that the course should

start in the next ensuing academic year itself. And in the words of Prof. Kumar

Bhaskar, who has been associated with the programme since inception,

“It was indeed Divine Sankalpa (The Divine Will) that made a thing impossible

for any other normal university, possible in the case of our great Institute.

The admission notification was issued in Sanathana Sarathi (the ashram's

monthly magazine) and also through the Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organizations of

every state. An expert committee quickly prepared an admission test. And there

was an overwhelming response! The admission test, which consisted of a written

test, group discussion, and a personal interview, was conducted around late

June 1986 and the first batch of thirty students were selected. The programme

structure was further chiseled under the Divine guidance of the Chancellor:

Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba.”

Prof. R. K. Sehgal (who was till then serving in the Steel Authority of India

Ltd.’s Staff Training College as the assistant principal) was appointed as the

first Dean of the Faculty of Business Management, besides two full time

faculty. Three faculty members from the erstwhile Department of Commerce and

Mathematics were used as adjunct faculty and the management school finally came

into being.

 

 

 

Inauguration of the Management SchoolBhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba inaugurated

the programme on 21st August 1986 in the Institute auditorium at 09:00 a.m. and

on that eventful morning, Swami said,

“In the Sai Institute, we are attaching special importance to cultural and

ethical values. Among these, the primary place is being given to "Indian Ethos

and Values." The course will cover such matters as the Indian economic

environment, Personnel management, Organizational Behaviour and Business

Communication. Emphasis will be laid on Personnel Management and Human Values,

which do not figure very much in the courses of studies in other management

Institutes now. The use of computers will be an integral part of the course...

In our Institute we want to turn out Masters in Man Management. The students

should develop a broad outlook and prepare themselves to serve society with

sincerity and dedication. They must set an example in morality, and bring

credit to the country by their work and their contribution to the development

of the nation”.

Swami wanted managers, nay leaders, from this school who would not only set an

example of strong character but also influence the nation’s industry and

commerce, and provide a value orientation to all business activity. This sacred

purpose is conveyed in no ambiguous terms in the programme’s mission -

"We endeavour to develop dedicated, dynamic, professionally sound and socially

responsible managers/leaders of wholesome and balanced personality,

academically equipped as well as spiritually aware, who embody noble values,

and above all, possess a right and positive attitude with an unblemished

character."

Prof U S Rao speaking in the Divine Presenceon 21st Aug 2004

The Early Years Of The SchoolUnder Swami’s directions, the MBA course comprised

of three main capsules. The first and most important being subjects relating to

Values and Ethics, the second being the analytical tools and management

techniques and finally, the third containing the theoretical subjects like

Marketing and Human Resource Management. Thus while emphasis is on character

building, secular education is also at par with other premier management

schools.

And Swami’s involvement did not stop at just framing the course curriculum. Like

a mother who spends twenty four hours caring and nursing a new born child, Swami

spent all His energy and time with the students and professors. What a great

opportunity it was! In the words of Parthish Dubey , an alumnus now in UK , “In

those days, admission into the MBA programme truly was a Visa to Divine

Proximity.”

The current Dean of the Management School , Prof. U S Rao, speaking in the

divine presence on the MBA Anniversary Day in 2004 recalled the halcyon days of

the management programme saying,

“I fondly remember the early years of the management programme when Bhagavan

used to visit the Institute almost every week and interact with students. He

explained the Indian ethos and values and gave insights into all areas of

management. Bhagavan has been continuously guiding the formulation of the

structure and content of the management programme. Inputs in the areas of self

awareness, Indian ethos and values and leadership were specifically introduced

into the programme when no Management Institute had these as core courses.

Bhagavan even guided the formulation of the content of the leadership programme

and the types of leaders whose biographies should be read by the students to

draw inspiration from and change their lives in the process. Bhagavan has

explained the concepts of 'Reengineering' and TQM to the management students

and asked us to incorporate them into the core courses of the MBA programme ten

years back when no other management

Institute had thought of introducing these into their core syllabus.”

 

 

 

After Inauguration of Management Computer Centre-1989

The Management Programme Evolves...Swami’s continued involvement in the MBA

programme over the years has been comprehensive and complete. From time to time

He guided the professors and the faculty and there were changes to reflect the

changing economic scenario of India and the world. In 1993 , the Master of

Commerce Programme was scrapped and the Master of Financial Management (MFM)

was introduced in its place. The Department of Commerce was merged with the

Faculty of Business Management, which gave birth to the School of Business

Management , Accounting and Finance (SBMAF), as it is now known. In keeping

with the nomenclature requirements of AICTE and UGC (Government bodies), the

MFM programme was rechristened as MBA (Finance) from the academic year

2004-2005. And at Swami's direction, courses like Integrated Rural Development

and Rural Finance were introduced to cater to the

requirements of the Indian economy.

The Ph.D programme at the department is also a decade old now. And the school

has produced research work in topics ranging from International Finance and

Corporate Strategy to Leadership and Value-based Management which have been

widely acclaimed.

Swami with a few faculty members on Aug 21st 1994

Distinguished Visiting FacultyThe school has been amply blessed with a well

qualified and dedicated core faculty drawn from various management schools and

industry. The school is also well served by alumni choosing to stay and serve

their alma mater after completing their Ph.D.

By divine design, the school has also been graced over the years with very

distinguished visiting professors, both from India and abroad. Prof.

Anantharaman, who is currently a faculty member, is also an adjunct professor

in several business schools including the Harvard Business School and Prof.

Peter Pruzan, from Copenhagen Business School, Denmark are just a couple of

recent examples from overseas.

Prof. Chakraborthy and Prof. Srinivas Prakhya from the Indian Institute of

Management, Lucknow and IIM, Bangalore respectively are eminent professors from

India. And these management gurus not only share their global perspective with

the students but also inspire the young minds with their dedication and love

for Bhagavan.

‘Man Management’ - The Central Focus Of The programme“Man Management” has been

the major thrust and the uniqueness of the management programme over the years.

A value based manager with character and confidence trained in people skills is

the programme’s goal. And it has done very well at that.

Dayasindhu, an alumnus currently in Bangalore, gives an inspiring anecdote which proves this point –

“In a consulting assignment that I was a part of, there was an important manager

in the client organization who was haughty. He would often taunt us with near

abusive language. Our team was getting fed up with this attitude and meetings

with this manager were a dreaded ordeal. Some of my colleagues were getting

impatient and wanted to give it back in the same coin to the client manager.

Some complained about the client within our company and wanted to be shifted

out of the project. I was also thinking that this was probably the only way

out. Then one morning I had a flash that maybe we could try to be extra nice to

this manager and see if this helps in sobering his attitude. My colleagues

dismissed this as an absurd idea. However, I felt there was nothing to lose if

it could be tried for a day. Instead of avoiding this manager, I was smiling

and wishing him well. He was taken aback at first and then responded with muted

acknowledgement. A few days

later we were to meet him late evening, and I suggested that we could possibly

do that next morning since he may want to spend the evening with his young son.

The next morning there was a sea change in this manager’s interaction with us.

He turned out to be very supportive and cheerful. My colleagues felt that

someone had cast a spell on the manager. In a figurative sense it was true that

our beloved Swami was the one who could have orchestrated this. We later

realized that he was frustrated with us since our project meant additional work

for him that translated to spending less time with his young son. Since we were

now sensitive to his personal time, he started treating us like trusted

colleagues.”

 

Swami taking a class in the Institute

‘Man Management’ is not just getting work done through others as one would

normally understand. When Praveen joined the programme, he also thought so but

having completed the course and now working in Hyderabad, has a wholly

different view -

“I realized, Man Management, was about managing oneself, discovering one’s own

inner self, realizing the fact that there is a greater purpose to life than

what meets the eye. The various roles we live - of a son, a father, an

employee, a boss - are vocations that we assume to discharge certain

responsibilities but at the same time each of us has responsibilities towards

oneself - to know oneself and to know what one's true goals are. I realized

that this has always been the essence of what Swami has been telling us all the

while. It is the key, this awareness.”

This is the kind of awareness that Swami brings about in every student. Each

student is a wholly different person when he steps out of the Institute after

the stipulated two years. With His complete involvement with the programme,

Swami slowly but surely opens the hearts of the boys to dimensions of life

which others seldom attempt. The Heart and Head, both are important, Swami says

and moulds each student into an integrated personality one who is an inspiration

for others.

Narasimhan Venkataraman, who passed out just two years ago and now in Chennai

provides testimony to this. He says –

“It was almost 9 o’clock in the evening when I was leaving office. A manager in

the department in which I work for offered to drop me. While traveling in his

car, he suddenly asked me, “Did you also study in Sai Baba’s Institute at

Puttaparthi?” When I replied in the affirmative he said, “I know a few of your

college mates who work in our department”. He then added, “You boys work smart.

More than that, you all work silently”. It was a revelation to me that in the

crowded corporate world where a lot of people are busy blowing their own

trumpets, people who work silently are really recognized. Working silently is

what we all learn from our own Lord.

 

 

 

After Project Work - 21st Jun 1994

Project Work - An Integral Part Of The CurriculumA project work during the

second year of the course provides a great learning experience for every

student wherein their theoretical knowledge finds practical fulfillment. And of

course, many a time Swami is the one who guides the students in selecting their

topics.

Shirish Patil, an alumnus from Mumbai, goes down the memory lane and shares how

Bhagavan was his invisible guide –

“During my second year of MBA (year 1997-98), all my classmates had decided to

offer our project work at the Lotus feet of Bhagavan Baba. During the evening

darshan, we kept all the projects piled up for Bhagavan Baba’s blessings. My

project work (Analysis of the Indian Petrochemicals Industry) happened to be

the bulkiest and when Bhagavan Baba asked “Whose work is this?” I raised my

hand; Bhagavan Baba asked me to hand over the project work to Him. As Bhagavan

Baba went through the project, I knelt by His side (Bhagavan Baba stood between

the two lions in the marble portico). He then said “You have made a mention of

Rakesh Mohan Committee in your analysis,” and before I could react, He turned

the pages (about 150 pages) and straight went to that particular page and said,

“See I told you” Then He asked- “Why should I have interest in what is written

in your project work? I wanted to show you that I know everything!” I took

Bhagavan Baba’s

Padanamaskar (salutations at His Feet) and He then created Vibhuti for me. Thus

every interaction and talk with Bhagavan Baba has its own significance.

Everything He does or says is always for our own good, though we may not

realize it immediately.”

Every student has his own story. Swami’s guiding hand was always there whether

the student realized it or not. Santhosh Pai, another alumnus from Mumbai,

recollects how Swami came to His rescue:

“This incident occurred during my management degree days at Prasanthinilayam.

This is an event, which under normal parlance, may not be called as a

spectacular one by others, but a significant incident which displayed His Grace

for me. I belong to the Masters in Financial Management (MFM) batch of 1994-96.

MFM students at that time had to submit a detailed Dissertation on a specific

topic apart from the annual project. The process was more like a thorough

research on the subject matter and the submission of the findings and results

at the end of the year. My topic was that of application of complex statistical

cum financial models on corporates across industries, analyzing its impact and

reasoning its findings. The rigors of the assignment were enormous and tough.

Data was scarce, facilities limited and time was running out. It was a time

when there was no concept of the internet and the data sources were basically

printed or published materials

available in libraries.

As the submission date neared, my pulse began racing. The dissertation was

getting held up due to lack of specific required data and the support for

analysis and interpretation. Frustration was mounting and I began to feel the

heat. At this point for me there was only one solution – Bhagavan. I was in the

habit of sending telegrams rather than letters and I did that. To my

astonishment, from the very next day, the required data started flowing in from

unexpected corners and sources. Some lesser known friends of mine from Mumbai

started sending me the right kind of data and information. In no time, all data

and information was on the table. One of the lecturers from the faculty, with

whom I had very little interaction, came to me on his own one day, asked me on

the progress of my dissertation, and offered to tutor me everyday and assisted

me throughout, till its completion. All this seemed like a dream to me. All

that was delayed and looked impossible

for 11 months was completed to perfection, in one month, perfectly in time for

submission. It was as if a strong gust of wind had blown off the dark

threatening clouds. His Grace had worked wonders.”

Madras Factory Visit - 7th Feb 1990

Industrial Visits - A Vital Part Of The programmeAt the end of the first year,

the boys go for factory visits to a number of reputed organizations in the

summer like Bharath Earth Movers Ltd, Biocon Ltd, Infosys, and so on. This

provides them a vehicle to familiarize themselves with industrial problems,

work processes and issues by seeing them first hand and interacting with top

personnel in every organization.

In 1990, when the boys went to Chennai to visit industries, Swami also altered

His own programme to be in Chennai during that time to see that the boys’

visits go on smoothly and the learning process is complete. Many eminent

personalities who came for Swami’s darshan there also shared their knowledge

and experience with the ‘prospective managers’ in the divine presence.

Even now, every year Swami enquires with the boys at the end of each day of the

factory visit, the companies they visited, the things that impressed them and

the learning that happened.

Workshops – An Enlightening Experience

A Management Seminar in progress

Every management student gets to participate in at least two management

workshops during the two year course as the school conducts one every year on a

topic which is very current and relevant to the times. In 2005, for example, the

Workshop was on “Service Sector in India – Building World-Class Organisations”

and on “Leadership and Management of Change” in 2004.

And every year, the students have the privilege to listen to luminaries in

industry and commerce like Sri Y V Reddy (Governor, Reserve Bank of India) ,

Sri Vijay Kelkar (Former Executive Director – IMF, and former Finance

Secretary, Govt. of India), Sri Venu Srinivasan (Chairman, TVS Motors), Sri

Shyamal Gupta (Tata Sons Board Member), Mr. Rajan Govindan (Ex-MD Bankers’

Trust , USA ) and the like. It is a very educative and revealing experience for

every student when they interact with people about whom they have only read in

business journals and magazines.

Divine Lessons In Kodaikanal For many years, Swami used to take all the MBA

students along with Him to Kodaikanal in the summer and spend a whole month

with them, inspiring, teaching and touching their lives. Even now, the Kodai

troupe predominantly consists of MBA students. Watching Swami at such close

quarters is not only a great privilege and an enjoyable experience but also a

great learning process for every student. Swami’s life is His message and every

act of His is an example, a lesson to humanity, if only we observe and absorb.

As one alumnus from Mumbai,

Taking Lunch near Ooty on the Way to Kodaikanal

Gunaranjan, narrates -

“One afternoon, during a lunch session, Swami, as usual, completed his meal

early and started walking along the gangway created with students and devotees

sitting on either side in the dinning hall. He talked to a few of these

devotees and students, enquiring how a particular dish tasted and whether they

would want more of the same and accordingly telling the people serving to serve

more of that, or asking them how the food tasted or at times the Lord Himself

would serve a few portions to the lucky ones. Sai was playing the perfect host.

At the far end of this hall was a washbasin for hand wash after meals. As Swami

was doing His rounds, He casually had a glance at the washbasin. His glance

turned into a stare as He found that it was not clean and tidy. He slowly

walked up to the basin, rolled up His sleeves and opened the tap to clean the

washbasin with His hands. It was only when He stood long enough at the basin

that everyone sensed He was doing

something. Through this small episode, Sai reconfirmed His absolute priority to

cleanliness and self-reliance and taught us to live by example.”

 

 

 

Interviews - Another Teaching Avenue For The LordOften, Swami calls the

management students for interviews and instills into them values that will be

their guide throughout their life. As one alumnus from Mumbai reminisces -

“I recollect the interview which was granted to my class in the year 1996 (MBA

Batch 1996-98). Bhagavan had commanded us to pose any question to Him. I had

prayed to Baba saying “Please help us in our lives on a day to day basis.”

Bhagavan Baba looked at me apparently angry and asked “Do you know when I help

you?” After a pause He answered His question Himself “You do not know”. Thus at

times we feel that it has been solely our effort due to which we have achieved

success in our endeavors forgetting that it has actually been Bhagavan who has

been helping us at each and every moment.

My mother used to tell me frequently that I should pray to Bhagavan every day. I

would always reply to her, “I will do that only when Bhagavan Baba Himself tells

me to pray” During my MBA, I was called by Bhagavan Baba for an interview along

with my parents. Bhagavan Baba, after speaking to my parents turned towards me

and said “I want to help you, but you do not pray to Me, so pray to Me!!’’

The Distinctive Traits Of A SBMAF Alumnus:One may think that for a hard-nosed

professional course like the MBA, the students of the Sai Institute are too

altruistic. But the fact is that there are successful students now spread all

over the globe in almost every sphere of activity and many hold very

responsible and prestigious positions in very reputed firms. There are alumni

in IBM, Citicorp, Infosys, Wipro, Price Water House, Toyota Corporation, etc.

And every student is making a difference in his own way. Each of them vouch for

the great work ethic they have learned being with Swami. And there are umpteen

examples to provide testimony to this fact.

Swami speaking in the college foyer

Attitude

Our attitude decides our altitude, is a famous saying. If in one word we have to

describe the secret of Sai management students’ success, it is the attitude. And

the whole educational system (which includes the College, the Hostel and

sessions with Swami in the Mandir) is geared to cultivate this right attitude

in every student. As Ravi Chand, a former student says -

“One subtle trait that all alumni of this Institute imbibe is a predominant

positive mental attitude. Ability to accept things as they unfold, positive

will power and an ability to influence the environment that we operate in and

continuously correcting our path to align with that shown by Bhagavan, ensures

success for each one of us. Much success lies in detaching ourselves from the

results of our actions. Offering our actions completely to our Lord is the

means to developing that detachment. I am sure that many of the nearly 700 MBA

alumni from the Institute hold leadership positions in organizations worldwide

and I recall Bhagavan’s words that spoke of a day when most organizations would

have leaders groomed in the wholesome environment of SSSIHL .”

Sensitivity

Service to fellowmen has to be the cornerstone for every business activity,

Swami has explained to the boys many times. One day on the mandir portico

during darshan, Swami asked one student, “What is your next exam?” The boy

said, “Swami, it is Marketing”. Swami then asked, “What is Marketing?” The boy

answered as per the textbook, but Swami was not convinced with the answer.

Swami finally said, “Marketing is producing goods required by the society”.

Students serving during Grama Seva

Every year in the month of October, all the students of the Institute

participate in ‘Grama Seva’ wherein they go to the interior villages around

Puttaparthi, knock at each and every door and distribute food, clothes and

other items of daily use. Apart from giving them a first-hand experience of the

joy of serving, it also sensitizes them to the suffering of their fellow

brethren. This attitude of serving, of being patient and empathetic to the

other person’s views and problems is a priceless boon from Bhagavan and as one

student from Mumbai confirms -

“‘Customer’s Delight’ is the desired level of service in every organization and

this is something which comes very naturally to us as we have grown with the

concept of service to mankind. Bhagavan has helped us towards a spiritual way

of life at an early stage in life.That perhaps is one of greatest benefits as

the perspective to life gets defined beyond mere career, fame or money. Life

becomes a more meaningful journey”.

Unselfishness and TeamworkOne of the very first management principles one learns

in a management class is the principle of ‘Subordination of individual interest

for group interest’. If any organization has achieved the status of a role

model, it is because a few individuals could ‘channel their ego needs away from

themselves and into the larger goal of building a great company…their ambition

is first and foremost for the institution, not themselves,’ says Jim Collins in

‘Build to Last’. And this is something which the students of Sai Institute very

easily relate to because the hostel provides a perfect training ground to

cultivate this quality of teamwork. Damu Nair currently in U.S., recollects one

such incident from his hostel life at Prashanti Nilayam –

Students busy with a set for the Sportsmeet

“It was during my stay in Parthi that we took a fascination to build mammoth

structures for Annual Sports meets. Initially we made structures out of bamboo,

paper mesh etc. and soon we graduated to making full fledged steel structures.

On one occasion, due to non availability of professionals, and late delivery of

materials we fell behind schedule on the fabrication of a structure. The

structure to be made was a huge stage with two ramps on both sides and this was

to be the center piece of our inaugural session. Practice was to start the next

day and we were left with just one night to finish the structure and no welder

to do the job. With prayers in mind and hardly any knowledge of welding two of

us with the support of our team started out doing the job. Into the wee hours

of next morning and still no one wanted to quit. Many pairs of swollen eyes and

many hours later, we had finished the structure. The splendor was that all of

our team including

the teachers in charge kept awake and gave us support and strength. This was

probably known only to the handful of students who were present that night.

Sure enough, in Parthi these are not isolated occurrences. Instances like these

taught me the importance of team work and more so the drive to do things for the

larger good.

During the hectic activities for the Convocation Drama or the Sports Meet, every

one of us was driven by the single thought to please Bhagavan. To draw a

parallel in daily work life, I have seen that it is easier to keep oneself

motivated to work hard for the sake of the satisfaction that you derive from a

job well done, rather than for any other worldly gains.”

 

 

After MBA Drama - 1997

The MBA DramaThe most awaited day of the academic year is August 21st, termed as

MBA Day! The memory of that red letter day is ever fresh in every student’s

heart for on that day the entire school gets together to stage a play for their

beloved Swami.

Every year, it would be very special as Swami would visit the Institute

Auditorium during the rehearsal of the play and spend a lot of time suggesting

changes, inspiring the actors and enlivening the whole team.

The MBA Day was always a very extraordinary day even before the tradition of

staging a play started in 1991. There was some event or the other, one year it

was an exhibition, another year it was an enthralling music programme and so

on.

Last year (2004), in a departure from tradition, the function was held in Sai

Kulwant Hall (rather than the Institute Auditorium) to the joy of every

devotee. And Swami made the day even more wonderful. He rose to speak at the

end of the cultural programme to the pleasant surprise of everybody assembled

and enthralled every student when He said,

“If you ask what is Swami’s property, I say, “Students are My property.” Without

the students, I will not be able to do anything. They are looking after Swami

with utmost love and care. In fact, they are responsible for all the

development that we find in our educational and other institutions.”

Reconnect – The Upcoming Grand MBA Alumni MeetThis year the MBA Anniversary Day

is going to be a grand festival as it is the 80th Birthday year of the Dearest

Lord, and the eve of the 20th Anniversary of the Management School. Labelled as

‘Reconnect’, it will be a first of its kind in the history of the management

school. More than 630 out of 650 students who have passed till now will gather

at the lotus feet of Bhagavan in Prashanti Nilayam for a two-day meet on the

20th and the 21st of August.

Swami with the MBA Batch - 1991-93

It will be an occasion for them to express their collective gratitude to

Bhagavan for they owe their success entirely to Him for He has made them what

they are today.

It will be an occasion when they will reaffirm their devotion to Swami and

reinforce their faith in the role of values in their professional and personal

life.

It will be an occasion when they will share their experiences with their junior

brothers currently in the Institute and counsel them on how they can make a

mark for themselves when they go out into the wide world, away from the comfort

of the hostel, the college and above all, the physical proximity of their

dearest mother Sai.

It will be an occasion when they will discuss each area of management and give

feed-back to the faculty and suggest ideas to gear the management programme to

face modern day challenges.

It will be an occasion when they will relive their glorious days at the Institute and be nostalgic.

It will be an occasion to 'Reconnect' with the Lord’s Love and His loving care

and bask in His immediate physical presence.

A couple of years back, on Valentine's Day, students had prepared a beautiful

card for Swami and when Swami came for darshan that day, Vivekananda Sahoo, an

alumnus from Noida, who was there holding the card, describes that memorable

evening thus:

He came walking down the lanes of our heart, gentle breeze playing with

beautiful tresses, a bewitching smile hovering on His lips, joy twinkling in

His eyes. Even nature wanted to celebrate this occasion of union with a beloved

one, the moisture laden clouds burst forth in all glory. His words were as cool

and soothing to the soul as the breeze caressing us.

Swami- "What is this card for?"

Boys- Swami today is Valentine's Day. And all we want in this world is Your love.

Swami- You love me or like Me?

Boys - We love You with all our breath and heart.

Swami looked at the card. It was like He was gazing deep into our souls and

there it was written ‘Forever yours......Your Children’

There was a swell of tear forming in His eyes and He said, “You are mine and I

am yours”. And then He added with a smile ‘Forever’.”

It is to relive such moments and bask in His love; it is rediscover this

relationship in a new light; it is to pay homage to such a loving, most likable

Lord. This is the unstated primary purpose of the alumni meet.

Can any university in the world dream of such a management programme where along

with Total Quality Management - TQM, you also learn the triple qualities of

Patience, Purity and Perseverance; where while you learn reengineering

techniques in the classes, your whole personality is reengineered, slowly but

surely, to face any challenge in life; where individual and fundamental

discrimination is as important as analytical tools of management for managerial

decision-making; ..this list can go on, let’s come to the most wonderful and

most profound aspect, where will you find the Lord Himself, the Divine Manager

of the Universe as your personal Guru and Guide!

- H2H Team

We would like to thank the following individuals whose contribution and inputs

helped immensely in the writing of this article:

1. Prof. Nanjundaiah, Controller of Examinations, SSSIHL.2. Prof. U S Rao,

Principal and Dean, SBMAF.3. Prof. Sudhir Bhaskar, Faculty, SBMAF.4. Prof.

Kumar Bhaskar, Faculty, SBMAF.5. Sri Srirangarajan, Faculty, SBMAF.6. Sri Y V C

S ViJay, Former Student.

 

Source: Radio Sai E-Magazine, August

2005http://www.radiosai.org/journals/Vol_03/08AUG01/coverstory_sbmaf.htm